For any list members out there who are still second-guessing Les' decision to
remove Marcel from the list, please do us all a favor and go to the JMDL
site's archives and take a look at the posts from September 10, 11, and 12 of
this year.
Those were extremely traumatic days for everyone, so I think some of you may
have forgotten the circumstances that lead to Marcel's expulsion. If
rereading the posts from those three days isn't enough to get you to throw
your full support behind Les, then I honestly don't know what planet you're
from.
Before, during and after the attacks on the US, Marcel continued to harass
list members -- including New Yorkers who were living through unprecedented
horror. Even if you've met Marcel and were charmed by his talent and
personality, his words and actions during the period leading up to his
banishment are indefensible. Would you expect to be allowed to remain on the
list if you had behaved so badly? I wouldn't.
Les' decision to remove Marcel isn't censorship, it's sanity. I wonder if the
list as we know it would even be around today if Les hadn't taken action.
Marcel behaved very badly over and over again. He hurt lots of people, and
when asked to stop, he just kept it right up. To this day, the poison he
spewed on- and off-list continues to cause controversy, defections and pain.
Like others on the list, I do not hate Marcel. I actually miss his political
commentary on various issues, even though his beliefs are often totally
opposite mine. But I hate what Marcel did -- and continues to do -- to the
list. And I think that even if you disagree with me, the least you can do is
to show your appreciation to Les by taking a moment to offer him your support
and thanks.
--Bob
